To some, cauliflower can seem a completely unappetizing vegetable. And when you see a head of cauliflower in the produce aisle, you may be tempted to ask, "How do I turn that into a side dish?"

My favorite way to prepare it fresh is simple: you take a head (that probably weighs about a pound), and pull off the leaves. Then, take the core out, and the head will start to separate into florets. (Those should be rinsed off… Read More

At a book signing this weekend, I decided to put out a bunch of cupcakes and an assortment of candies and sprinkles and such so that store patrons could decorate their own. Some who stopped by gave me their cupcake stories and shared favorite recipes, telling me about different flavors they enjoy or how a child of theirs had inspired a particular design.

But one woman clearly felt out of sync. "I'm just so baking challenged. I'd love to… Read More

I've been trying to figure out new ways for the kids to get into salmon. The benefits of that fish are touted so widely and so frequently (omega-3 fatty acids and all), that Lori and I have even been increasing our intake. So naturally, we're bringing the kids along on our culinary quest.

The simplest way to enjoy it has been putting a cup of water into a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium to medium-high… Read More

Mattel has introduced a retro-roarin' good time in the kitchen with "Barbie Learns to Cook," a faithful reproduction of a doll first issued in 1965. I don't think there could ever be enough toys that celebrate hearth and home... particularly one that meshes fashion, style, and domestic arts so groovily.

Beyond the packaging's beckoning ranch house roof is a kitchen setting festooned with a vintage fruit-and-veggie patterned wallpaper, a cookware set, a toaster (with slices), and even a "Barbie's… Read More

This is such a big grilling weekend that it's fun to consider desserts on the BBQ that will work, too. Plantains -- which are widely available at the market and look like longer, more tough-skinned bananas -- make a great sweet finish (as long as they're ripe!). This weekend, I experimented with it on the grill for dessert, when I realized we had a couple around.

First, butter a one-foot-by-one-foot square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then, chop the plantain… Read More

Rocco and ChiChi are pretty amenable to new tastes, but here's another idea that worked on a couple of their friends recently. Guava is a tropical fruit -- known to incite passion in those familiar with its strawberry-pear-like taste -- but isn't nearly as popular as other tropical fruits like mangoes and papayas. So, if a kid hears "let's have guava," he's likely to give it a no-go.

But for a quick, tasty lunch -- with a hint of… Read More